East Bay Bike Path Makes Yankee Magazine List

Yankee Magazine has named 40 Rhode Island destinations as "Best of New England — Editors Choice."

The "Travel Guide" issue, which is available this week, also names 20 top events in Rhode Island. 

Here are the magazine's picks of Rhode Island destinations and events: 

"Blackstone Valley

• Blackstone Valley Explorer—A River Runs Through It, Central Falls and Woonsocket
• LJ's BBQ—Best Barbeque, Pawtucket
• St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center—Best Art Fix, Woonsocket

Block Island

• Harry's Café—Best Casual Island Dining, New Shoreham

Newport County

• Butterfly Farm—Best Zoo, Tiverton
• Farmaesthetics Skincare Apothecary—Best Shop for the Senses, Newport
• Forty 1° North—Best Reason To Come Ashore, Newport
• Gary's Handy Lunch—Best Diner, Newport
• Marshall Slocum Guest House—Best B&B, Newport
• Narragansett Bay—Best Sail, Newport
• Newport Restoration Foundation Tours—Best Walking Tour, Newport
• Rose Island Lighthouse—Best Night at the Museum, Newport
• Sail Newport—Best Paddle, Newport
• Stone House—Best Indulgences, Little Compton
• Tallulah on Thames—Best Chowder, Newport

Providence & East Bay

• Ada Books—Best Stacks, Providence
• Bristol Guest Suites—Best Hotel Alternative, Bristol
• Broadway Bistro—Best Comfort Food , Providence
• Brown/Trinity Playwrights' Repertory Theatre—Best Bargain, Providence
• East Bay Bicycle Path—Best Road Biking, Providence
• Heir Antiques—Best Antique Shop, Providence
• Los Andes—Best Exotic Menu, Providence
• Nick's on Broadway—Best Brunch, Providence
• Pastiche—Best Pastries, Providence
• Rhody Food Tour—Best Food Tour, Providence
• The Wooden Midshipman—Best Local Shopping, Warren
• What Cheer Antiques—Best Bargain, Providence

South County

• Arcadia Management Area—Best Mountain Biking, Hope Valley
• Avondale Farm Preserve; The Westerly Land Trust—Best Coastal Preserve, Westerly
• Kagels Cottages—Best Cottage Rental, Wakefield
• Matunuck Oyster Bar—Best Pond-To-Plate, East Matunuck
• Napatree Point—Best Stroll, Watch Hill
• Narragansett Town Beach—Best Surfing, Narragansett
• Nonchalant Mom—Best Beta Mom Store, Wakefield
• Ocean House—Best Victorian Makeover, Watch Hill
• Re—Best Home Consignments, North Kingstown
• Stepping Stone Ranch—Best Bargain, West Greenwich

Warwick & West Bay

• King's Garden—Best Chinese, Cranston
• Mike's Kitchen—Best Bargain, Cranston
• Sonia's Near East Market & Deli—Best Deli, Cranston

Top Events

May 7: South Kingston, East Farm Spring Festival. Make your garden a little greener. University of Rhode Island Master Gardeners host a plant sale and day of workshops on environmentally friendly gardening practices. 401-874-4453; uri.edu/cels/ceoc/east-farm-spring-festival.html

May 13-15: Westerly, Misquamicut Spring Festival. Soak up the sun at Misquamicut State Beach. Along with the surf you'll enjoy a carnival, concerts, fireworks, good food, and a classic car show. 401-322-1026; misquamicutspringfest.com

May 21: Bristol, Rhode Island Wool & Fiber Festival. Textile enthusiasts gather at Coggeshall Farm Museum for demonstrations of traditional and contemporary fiber arts. See the hand-shearing of sheep, help with 18th-century textile work, and stock up on your own crafting supplies. 401-253-9062;coggeshallfarm.org

May 28-29: Westerly, Virtual Arts Festival. More than 18 professional artists and talented craftspeople will display their works in Wilcox Park while performing artists entertain the crowd. 401-596-7761;westerlychamber.org

June 4: Newport, Great Chowder Cook-Off. Restaurants battle for the coveted "Best Chowder" title and all the bragging rights that go with it. Sample their submissions and see who you think is best. 401-846-1600; newportwaterfrontevents.com

June 4: Providence, Providence Art Festival. The downtown area turns into a sprawling market. Enjoy street performances and browse locally made crafts and fine artworks. providenceartfestival.com

June 10-12: Warwick, Gaspee Days. Billed as the original "WaterFire," this festival commemorates the burning of a British revenue schooner in 1772. Military encampment and fireworks Friday night, road race and parade Saturday, and the symbolic burning of the Gaspee in Pawtuxet Park Cove on Sunday. 401-781-1772; gaspee.com

June 11: Richmond, Rhode Island Highland Festival. Scotland comes to the Ocean State: Enjoy traditional music and dance, Scottish food, sheepdog demonstrations, and highland sports contests, all at Washington County Fairgrounds. riscot.org

June 19-24: NEW SHOREHAM, Block Island Race Week. The waters around Block Island host a week of sailboat races. Register your vessel or just come out and watch. 401-466-2474;blockislandraceweek.com

June 25: Westerly, Chorus of Westerly Summer Pops. For the 31st year, the Chorus of Westerly will team up with the Boston Festival Orchestra for a pops concert in Wilcox Park. Accompanying the music this year will be fireworks, cannons from the Newport Artillery, and the bells of Christ Church during the 1812 Overture. 401-596-8663; chorusofwesterly.org

July 4-10: Newport, Hall of Fame Tennis Championship. Featuring both veterans and up-and-comers. On Saturday, the Hall of Fame will induct its 2011 class, including Andre Agassi. 401-849-6053;tennisfame.com

July 8-10: Newport, Newport Regatta. Three days of sailboat races (anyone is welcome to register his or her vessel), plus a beer-and-chowder social on Sunday. 401-846-1983; sailnewport.org

July 9-10: Wickford, Wickford Art Festival. The narrow streets of this picturesque village fill with vendors. Shop the work of local craftspeople and put your name into the raffle. 401-294-6840;wickfordart.org

July 22-24: Kingston, South County Hot Air Balloon Festival. Colorful balloons take to the skies as terrestrial attendees enjoy music, fireworks, pony rides, a petting zoo, and a catch-and-release pond, all at URI's athletic fields. 401-783-1770; southcountyballoonfest.com

July 23: Newport, Save the Bay Swim. Professional and amateur athletes navigate 1.7 miles across Narragansett Bay, from Newport to Jamestown, raising money and awareness; proceeds go toward keeping the bay clean and healthy. Participant preregistration required. 401-272-3540;www.savebay.org/swim

July 29-31: Newport, Newport Folk Festival. Continuing a historic run at Fort Adams State Park. Listen to folk legends and get acquainted with the new artists who are defining what folk means for the next generation. 401-848-5055; newportfolkfest.net

August 5-7: Charlestown, Charlestown Chamber of Commerce Seafood Festival. All the fish you can eat: Sample lobster, chowder, clam cakes, steamers, and more at Ninigret Park. There'll be amusement rides and children's shows for the little ones, plus rock-wall climbing and a "Hot Rod & Harley" car show for the adults. 401-364-4031; charlestownrichamber.com

August 5-7, 12-14: Cranston, One-Act Play Festival. You don't always need a lot of words to make a strong statement. Artists' Exchange hosts performances of a selection of new one-act plays by regional writers in its Black Box Theatre. 401-490-9475; artists-exchange.org

August 20: Jamestown, Fools' Rules Regatta. Contestants are given two hours to build a boat out of "non-marine materials," then attempt to race it down a 500-yard course at the town beach at East Ferry. Even if your vessel sinks just off the beach, you can still compete for the "Worst Example of Naval Architecture" award. 401-423-1492; jyc.org

August 20-21: Newport, Wet Paint. A unique fundraiser for the Newport Art Museum. Saturday morning, more than 300 artists set up their easels around town and produce original works. Those paintings are hung in the museum that afternoon and then auctioned off in the evening and Sunday morning. 401-848-8200; newportartmuseum.org"